If you missed class on Thursday, October 30th....

If I were to ask you to envision Hades, especially now that we have discussed its varying aspects, how would you describe it? This picture is an artist's concept of the entrance to Hades. He clearly DO NOT know Hades as well as he should. Remember that only a part of Hades was Saturnine, and that of course was Tartarus.

Dear Mythology Students,

If you missed class on Thursday, October 30th, we discussed the Greek underworld of Hades. Each student received a red handout, which we completed together. Several overheads were shared with you in relationship to the areas we discussed. I have attempted to include some of the images for you here.

HOMEWORK:

1. Please read the myth of "Orpheus and Eurydice" located on pg. 107 in your textbook. This myth illustrates how just Hades was concerning those that entered his domain.

2. Please read the myth of the "Danaids" located on pg. 295 in your textbook. This myth pertains to one group of sinners within Hades.

3. Please read "Tantalus" pg. 348-the top paragraph on 349

4. You will have a QUIZ covering the myth of "Orpheus and Eurydice" on Monday, Nov. 3rd.

5. You will have a QUIZ covering HADES on Wednesday, Nov. 5th

The following pictures should give you greater insights into some of the aspects we discussed on Thursday. Please make sure you obtain the information from someone else in class upon your return.

This is the character known as Sisyphus. He was destroyed by Zeus due to his inappropriate sexual behavior. His punishment is to push a boulder up a large mountain in Hades, with the one purpose of pushing it over the top. He is never successful in doing so, as the boulder always comes crashing down on him. This punishment is highly symbolic of the crime, as the rock represents Sisyphus' sexual desires. He hopes to overcome them, but he he is unsuccessful in doing so.

These women are known as the Danaids. There are fifty of them, and on their wedding night, all but one, murdered her husband by stabbing him in his heart. Their punishment in Hades is to obtain water from the River Styx with the hope of filling Hades' garden pond; however, their jars have holes in the bottom. They were never able to complete the mundane task of filling the pond. This is symbolic of the fact that they took the trivial and mundane away from their husbands; consequently, they are forever cursed with it.
This is the character known as Ixion. He attempted to rape Hera. Zeus had him strapped to a wheel of burning fire. This is symbolic of the fact that a rapist will continue to rape unless caught...hence the wheel. The fire on either side is symbolic of the pain the victim feels. Ixion was constantly burned, but never burned away. OUCH!

Tantalus is another sinner in Hades. He murdered his son, and then fed his flesh the gods in the form of a stew. The Olympians were so appalled by Tantalus' behavior that they cemented him within Styx, being cursed with perpetual hunger and thirst. Each time he attempted to drink from Styx the water would move away from him. There are fruit trees hanging above his head, and yet each time he attempted to grab some of the fruit it would move away from him. He is perpetually hungry and thirty.

Can you recognize that each punishment is symbolic of its crime!

"Luck favors the mind that is prepared."

Hello, Mythology Students,
The above quote is by Louis Pasteur. If you aren't familiar with Pasteur he was the French scientist credited with identifying the science of Microbiology. He also discovered a cure for Rabies. He clearly was a clever gentleman, and I would agree that his quote has merit!

"LUCK FAVORS THE MIND THAT IS PREPARED!"

-Louis Pasteur-

How prepared are you for your exam? I hope that you have made the choice to complete your review and now you are looking at the example questions that I have included on the blog. If so I am proud of you. I have no doubt that you will be successful on the test. I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow! Good luck on the following set of images.
Cheers,
Crampton

1. What is being depicted in this ancient sketch. You should mention the male

and female by name.

2. Identify this lovely lady. The fruit she is holding is a strong clue as to her identity. 3. What is taking place in this sketch. In your response, you will need to identify the female character.

4. Who is this Greek god (Greek and Roman names, please).

5. I LOVE THIS PAINTING, because I feel the artist has truly captured the emotion behind this myth. Identify the three individuals in this image; two are female, one is a male. Notice that the male is carrying one of the females, and that the other female has her arms stretched out, as if she is anxiously anticipating the RETURN of the other female.

6. Identify this Greek god (Greek and Roman names, please).

7. Who is this character? Please include both Greek and Roman names. What were his domains?

8. Identify the human character in this sketch (Greek and Roman names, please).

9. Who is this Greek god? In addition, explain the myth concerning the symbol depicted behind her.
10. What is this? Identify the characters associated with this symbol and in what capacity. How is this ancient symbol relevant to people living in the 21st century?

I will look forward to seeing tomorrow!

Best Wishes,

Crampton

Included below are your second examples of images.....

Dear Mythology Kids,

How are you doing with your test preparation? Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you. I have included your second "batch" of images below. Again, the questions associated with each one are located beneath the image.1. Identify this character. Explain why he is in this unfortunate circumstance.

2. Identify this god (Greek and Roman names, please.)

3. Don't you think this is a fabulous stamp! You are familiar with the character on the right of the stamp; please identify him. The other character's name is Marsays, and we have not yet extensively discussed him.
4. Here is another image of who I am going to be for Halloween. Identify this character, and then explain her story. You should mention two gods in your response, one is a male the other female.

5. Please explain the creation of the horse. This horse does not have wings. You should mention two gods in your response.

MORE TO COME.........

The KEY to SUCCESS is PREPARATION!

Hello, Mythology Students,

This is who I am going to be for Halloween! I am happy to give you extra-credit if you choose to "take on" the role of a Greek character we have studied as your Halloween persona. Take a picture, and then send me a copy of it; it's that simple. If you need some ideas, please feel free to ask me....happy creating!

You are clearly preparing for Exam #1 by coming to the BLOG. Well done! I am proud of you! I have included seven images below of aspects pertaining to our class discussions this term. I have also included a question beneath each image. Although you will not see these pictures on your exams, you will see ones that are similar in nature. If you have questions, please send me an e-mail (koriandjc@yahoo.com) or visit with me at school. I will post new images each afternoon, so check the blog after school each day for more "practice images." Good Luck!

1.Identify this Greek character.

2.Explain what has just taken place in the above sculpture. You should mention two characters by name (use Greek and Roman).

3. Identify the primary Greek/Roman Character in the above sculpture.

4. This would not have been a pleasant experience for the women in the painting. Who are these two individuals? Why is this event taking place? In your response you should mention a female character that is not present.

5. Who is this character?

6. Identify this character (general term is fine). What is his significance to drama?

7. Okay, give me some schema regarding this painting. Clearly the cow is important, but why? Who are the other two individuals in the image?

The Power of Performance!

Dear Mythology Kids,

I found these images while sorting through some of my old folders and I thought you might find them interesting. The first is of Sophocles, the great Greek tragic playwright. The second is an artist's rendering of a Greek chorus. The third is a mosaic found in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii; the mosaic depicts Roman theater masks.

The Role of Sophocles

Dear Mythology Kids,

As you know, Sophocles was the greatest of Greek tragedians. He was recognized by the people of Athens as a "master," and Homer even referred to him as the "greatest man." Both accolades make sense because he was able to affect people with his choice of words.

In essence you have been asked to do the same for your nature myth performances. I realize that we may not weep, but more likely laugh when we see you present your myths, but the concept of taking a myth and developing it into a form of drama is a valuable experience for you. Remember that this was one of the ways that the ancient Greeks shared their myths with others.

TODAY IN CLASS:

1. We took a quiz covering "Antigone."

2. Upon completion of the quiz, "Nature Myth Part 3" was introduced to you. Each student is working in a group, and each group has selected a nature myth from a member of that group, to perform as their nature myth. I have listed the groups below, so that you are aware of the individuals you will be working with on Wednesday, the 22nd and Friday, the 24th. Remember that your performances will take place on Friday, the 24th!

B1

Group #1

Trevor H., McKinnley B., Jonathan P., Andrew E., Josh O., and Kathy L

Group #2

Natalie, Ben T., Rhen, Tejan, Elecia, and Matt

Group #3

Tanycia, Justina, Marlyse, Jordan, Jonathan B., Briauna

Group #4

Sharlin, Mollee, Corbin, Kimball, Jeremy, and Eric

Group #5

Helen, Nichole, Cristi, Kimber, Cameron, and Ben C.

B2

Group #1

Ester, Jessica R., Laci, Andrea, Rebekah, and Natalia

Group #2

Jacob, Liz, Jessica K., Tanner, Lili, and James

Group #3

Luke, Holly, Kellan, Annie, Justin, Tucker, and Nick

Group #4

Kim, Erin, Jenni, Thomas, Kyler, and Monika

Group #5

Olivia, Ali, Emily, Gaby, Vania, and Claudia

B4

Group #1

Taryn, Cory, Karin, Kelani, Ben and Lindsey

Group #2

Jaime, Jessica, Alex, Kristee, Alyssa and Jason

Group #3

Marin, Elenia, Sinaih, Kyle A., Zach, and Brad

Group #4

Sarah, Valerie, Evan, Nic and Brianna

Group #5

Kristy, Danaca, Emily, Kyle B., Jason and Kendall

I hope you enjoy your "Fall Break" vacation. I will look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

Cheers,

Crampton

Greek Drama.....Your turn is quickly approaching!

Dear Mythology Students,

If you missed class on Monday, we completed the following:

1. Your Nature Myth assignment was due on Monday, so those that elected to complete the assignment submitted their rough draft and one copy of their first draft. The other copy I asked them to keep in their notebook, as we will be using it in class on Wednesday, October 15th.

2. We took a quiz covering the information that we discussed last week regarding the fundamentals of Greek drama. If you missed class, please be prepared to take this quiz upon your return. I have included some images of some ancient Greek theaters below and one well constructed model.


3. We then read a portion of "Antigone" by Sophocles.

4. Remember that you will have a quiz covering "Antigone" on Wednesday. If you missed class, then I would read the myth in your textbook. It is located on page 273. Please be familiar with the characters of Antigone, Ismene, Polyneices, Etocles, Creon and Jocasta. In addition, you need to bring a FLAT BED SHEET to class on Wednesday. It can have any pattern on it, and it can be a full, queen or king size sheet. Please have one on Wednesday.

5. Please DON'T MISS CLASS!

I look forward to seeing you soon!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9th

Hello, Mythology Students

If you missed class on Thursday, October 9th, let me enlighten you regarding what we accomplished.

1. We reviewed the Greek myth of "Oedipus," and then each student took their quiz on this myth.

2. We completed our introduction to Greek Drama. Please make sure you obtain this missed information from someone that was in class, as you will have a quiz over this information on Monday.

3. As part of your homework, I asked you to read the myth of "Antigone," which is the companion play to "Oedipus." I gave everyone a copy of the myth, but if you missed class, then please read the version that is in your textbook. It is located on page 273. "Antigione" is the myth of Oedipus' daughter, by the same name, who takes care of her father upon his banishment from Thebes. When Oedipus dies, she returns to Thebes to find her two brothers battling for the throne. They go to war, killing each other in the process. One of the brothers is considered a hero and therefore given a proper burial, while the other is recognized as a traitor, and his body is left to rot in the street. If anyone attempts to bury the body, that individual will be sentenced to death. Antigone believes this law to be unjust and she openly defies it by tending to the body of her dead brother. She is found guilty and sentenced to death.

I have included some images of this myth in order to give you some schema prior to reading it.

Remember that your Nature Myth is due on Monday, October 13th. You must include a signed copy of the rough draft along with two clean copies of your first draft. I look forward to reading your myth.

Enjoy your weekend!

Cheers,

Crampton

The Oedipus Complex.....YIKES!

Dear Mythology Kids,

I introduced the myth of "Oedipus" to you today as a catalyst for understanding Greek Drama. I have included some additional images below from those I shared with you class. This myth is extremely significant, as it illustrates the ancient Greeks desire and ability to take their myths and transfer them to the genre of drama.

Oedipus in his quest to solve the "riddle of the sphinx."

This image depicts Oedipus with two of his children, Antigone and Ismene, upon learning that he is the guilty party in the death of his father, King Lauis.

This image depicts a theater troupe performing the play of "Oedipus Rex." The character of Oedipus is in the center, and the chorus members are around him.

IF YOU MISSED CLASS TODAY....
If you missed class today, please read the myth of "Oedipus" located on pages. 268-273 in your textbook. You will have a QUIZ over the myth on THURSDAY! This is a valuable piece of literature, as it was originally written as a narrative, and then transformed to a play by Sophocles. It also contains the literary element of IRONY, which adds to the plot line. We discussed the three different types of IRONY today in class.

In addition, the due date for your nature myth has been changed to Monday, October 13th.

1. Dramatic Irony: This occurs when the audience is aware of specific information that characters are not.

2. Irony of Situation or Situational Irony: This occurs when the outcome of a literary work turns out differently than what the audience originally anticipated.

I used The Illusionist and The Prestige as strong examples of literary work that contain the element of Irony of Situation. If you haven't seen either of these films, you must watch them, as they are both excellent.

3. Verbal Irony: This occurs when a character uses words, but means something completely different. It is easily identified with sarcasm.

YOUR QUIZ covering Oedipus.....

After the introduction you had today to Oedipus, and upon reading the myth, it becomes obvious that the literary tool of irony is significant to the plot of this story. For your quiz on Thursday, you will respond to ONE of FOUR quotes. I will ask that you explain the irony of the chosen question in relationship to the plot of Oedipus. Your response must be thorough. Responding with, "This section is ironic because Oedipus does not realize Laius is his father," is not detailed enough. You will need to explain ALL the circumstances behind the quote that you "pull from the bag." You will not be able to use your textbook or notes for the quiz. This is why you must READ YOUR MYTH, my fine young friends! You do have access to the questions, as they are below, and you can consider a strong response for each one.

1. "He left his home, Corinth, where he was held to be the son of the king, Polybus, and the reason for his self exile was another Delphic oracle. Apollo had declared that he was fated to kill his father."

2. "...whoever had murdered King Laius must be punished. Oedipus was relieved. Surely the man or men could be found after all these years, and they should know well how to punish him."

3. He spoke to his people..."Let no one of this land give him shelter. Bar him from your homes, as one defiled, companioned by pollution. And solemnly I pray, may he who killed wear out his life in evil, being evil."

4. "No one suffered more than Oedipus. He regard himself as the father of the whole state; the people in it were his children; the misery of each one was his too."

I will look forward to seeing you on Thursday! Please don't miss class!

We developed the creative talents of Hephaestus this week.

Dear Mythology Kids,

Here are some images of the mask making endeavors of several students. I have also included pictures of some of the thrones. I thoroughly enjoyed observing the design process of the masks, and the interviews we have had regarding your thrones. Hephaestus would be so proud of you!

DON'T FORGET THE FOLLOWING:

1. Your Nature Myth is due on October 9th!

2. You must have a corrected copy of your rough draft.

3. That corrected copy should have a signature on it of the individual that
gave you feedback!

4. Remember to print TWO copies of your corrected rough draft to
submit to me on Thursday, October 9th.

I love this picture of Josh! He designed a throne for Poseidon! This was an ideal choice for him, as he possesses "Poseidon's smile"......RADIANT!